Done to Death
by Kimiki
Summary: The Princess Kagome has just run away! Outlaws Inuyasha and Miroku are hot on her trail, tracking her down for the bounty given at her capture. However, throw in a Protector of the Royal Family and a familiar lord, things mightn't be as easy as they hoped
1. Plan A?

**Disclaimer**: In high school... in America... 100% English... get my drift? I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters, only the idea for this story and all the plot twists that I shall throw the Inuyasha cast into. Enjoy!  
  
**_Done to Death_**   
  
**Chapter One: Plan... A?**  
  
"Ok... bag, check. Money, check. Dagger, check. Plan... uh, well, how important is a plan anyway?" the girl asked herself. Her hair was a dark ebony pulled into a tight braid only worn when wealthy ladies were supposed to be abed and slumbering. But Kagome Koharu Kyoko Hikaru Higurashi, or just Kagome, was not your normal, average, run-o-the-mill lady.  
  
Oh no.  
  
She was much worse.  
  
She was the princess.  
  
And, she was running from the only real duty, or purpose in life, that princesses have. And she wasn't about to waste time on a plan. She had worked so far as to steal a servant's cloak and knee-high leather boots, and to secure some sturdy work clothes, but after that, she was lost. Her daypack was filled with meats and bread and cheeses, and she had a bottle of water and a flask of wine stuffed in there somewhere. Sizing up her image in her floor-length mirror, she shrugged and took off her nightclothes, careful to place them in her pack.  
  
Pulling out a large roll of bandages, she sized up her breasts and quickly bound them flat... or, somewhat flat. Hoping that she could pass off as a very buff boy, she pulled on her leggings and tunic and placed the boots on her feet. Looking at her image again, she sighed and grabbed the sewing scissors out of her scrap basket and made quick work of the mid-back length hair. Shaking her hair that now reached to the very bottom of her earlobes, she stuffed the braid in the pack and shouldered the yellow bag. Stepping out onto her balcony, she closed her window and mumbled a soft apology to the house, people, and kingdom (but not to her parents) for running away, then climbed down, landing softly. Sneaking past the dogs who knew her well, she smiled one last time at her home of sixteen years, then trotted into the woods.

()()()()()()()()()()

"Oi, boss, ya heard?" a large, beefy man asked a much smaller person. Said person had long, flowing black hair that fell to his waist, even when pulled into a low ponytail, as it was now. The man's purple eyes were cold and uncaring, the amber glints only aiding in setting him apart from the rest of the world even more. He wore a blood red tunic that had a faded gold trim, and his leggings were the same blood red color. His black leather, knee-high boots rolled at the top and, unknown to most, he held three throwing knives in each. Looking at the large man, he said, "No, Yoshiko, I haven't. What is it?"  
  
"The princess has disappeared!"  
  
Interest perking, the red-clad man said, "Really? When?"  
  
"About a day ago. Jurota told me himself." the man who could be a sumo wrestler said. Jurota was the spy that the boss had planted inside the royal house, and the dark haired man knew that he never lied or exaggerated in his information.  
  
"Do they know the direction she took?" he asked, hoping to catch the girl. Oh, the reward that he could collect for finding her! He and his men would never have to work again!  
  
"Sorry boss, but no one knows, not even the guards. Jurota says that the dogs never barked or nothin'. We got no clues."  
  
"Keh. Then we just have to find her before anyone else! Get Miroku and bring him here! That priest needs to earn his keep once and a while." the boss said while pulling out his trusty sword. Its handle was frizzing out in all directions and it had definitely seen better days, but it was his favorite weapon... other than his fists.  
  
"Ah, Inuyasha, you called?" a calm voice asked. Sheathing the sword, Inuyasha turned to face the only person brave (or stupid) enough to call him by his name. There stood his right hand "Priest". His hair was a shimmering black that was pulled into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. He wore a dark purple tunic with black leggings and black leather boots, much like Inuyasha's. He carried an oaken staff with him at all times, as it was his preferred weapon... other than running away. Smiling, he bowed mockingly, saying, "Oh, boss, oh fearless leader, what can this lowly slave do for your mightiness? Perhaps style your hair? Or, perchance, give you a manicure?" Growling at the other's antics, Inuyasha explained the money earning opportunity and added, "So, you and I are going to try and find her. Got that?" Saluting, much like a sailor would to a captain, Miroku said, "Aye aye, Capt'n!" Muttering words under his breath that would make a sailor blush, Inuyasha headed towards his camp to tell his band what he was going to do. But since Miroku was a bandit priest, and not a sailor, he didn't blush in the least, and just followed the boss, planning on where to search first.

()()()()()()()()()()

After explaining to the camp the plan, Inuyasha and Miroku set out walking, searching the back roads for the lost royalty. Looking under bushes and piles of leaves, Miroku sighed as he came up with leaves, angry squirrels, and no royalty.  
  
"What?" Inuyasha snorted. "Did you expect the girl to be on the ground, just waiting to be found? You ba-_oof_!"  
  
"'Ey! Get offa me, ya jerk!" a muffled voice protested as Miroku helped Inuyasha to his feet. There lay a young boy on the forest floor, leaves in his short, black hair and dirt on his knees. Helping the boy up, Miroku noticed that there was dirt underneath his nails that shouldn't be there from just the fall. And the hands were small and soft, like the boy had never worked a day in his life. Pulling his hands away, the boy glared at Inuyasha as he said, "Watch where you're goin' next time."  
  
"Why do I have to listen to a whelp like you?" Inuyasha asked, returning the glare.  
  
"Because I'm-" Miroku cut off the boy as he said, "Allow me to apologize for him. He isn't very good with words." Nodding, the boy reached down and grasped the strap of a small, yellow bag, lifting it to his back. Bowing to Miroku, he wished them good travels, then continued in the direction that they had just come, walking swiftly through the bracken. Looking down at the leaves and rocks on the ground, Miroku said to himself, "I wonder why he was on the ground?"  
  
"He was digging." Inuyasha said suddenly. Looking at where his friend was on the ground, Miroku saw that, indeed, some dirt had been dug up haphazardly, then stomped back on something. Working together, the two men quickly uncovered... a white silk nightgown and a thick braid of dark, ebony hair. Taking in the newfound articles and the boy's slender and uncalloused hands, Miroku's eyes widened and he said, "Maybe royalty really -does- just lie on the ground, waiting to be found."  
  
  
  
Miroku as a bandit priest... is there even such a thing?! Isn't that an oxymoron?! 


	2. The Truth Is Told

**Done to Death**   
  
**Chapter 2: The Truth is Told**  
  
_'Wonder if they'll figure out who I am? Better safe than sorry...'_ Kagome thought as she spun on her right foot, effectively changing her direction. Searching her mind for a boy's name, she settled on Sota. Yeah, it was her younger brother's name, but no one ever said that she was creative! She had just buried her hair and nightgown, for Kami's sake! Shaking her head, she slowed when she came to a small stream. Smiling, she stopped and took a long drink from the running water. No need to waste what she had in her bottle, right?  
  
Finishing, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and stepped over the water, and onto a small rock protruding the smooth waves. Crossing using the stepping-stones, she looked back to where she had sat to drink and continued on across the gentle stream, softly humming to herself. She stopped suddenly, however, when she heard the sound of crashing branches and crunching leaves. Searching frantically, she climbed onto the branches of a weeping willow as the two men from before came upon the other side of the stream. The one with the shorter hair said, "See! 'He' stopped here to drink!"  
  
"Shut up Miroku, I can see that for myself!" the one who had tripped over her earlier said. Holding her breath, Kagome saw him kneel down and examine the prints that she had carelessly left in the soft mud. He slowly stood and crossed the stream, also using the stones.  
  
Following, Miroku inquired, "What's up Inuyasha?"  
  
"She couldn't have gotten far. The mud from her boots wasn't dried on the rocks yet, or washed away by the river." Inuyasha explained as he tried to determine where the girl was. Looking down at the two, Kagome cursed her luck and stupidity and wondered if she could escape them if she ran at the moment.  
  
_'Nope.'_ she concluded, and listened in on their conversation. Hey, it wasn't eavesdropping when she couldn't move, and they had chosen to sit under her tree!  
  
"Miroku, why did she run away?" Inuyasha asked with closed eyes. He was trying to concoct a plan to capture the girl who, unbeknownst to him, was sitting merely inches from his head.  
  
"Well, she didn't run away. She just walked away after I apologized for you. To think, you fell over the princess! Why, you could be hanged!" Miroku said, being melodramatic and giving Kagome the impression that he was better than most of the royal actors she had seen. But, the fact that he was knocked upside the head after that last remark almost sent her into giggles... even though she didn't giggle. Grumbling, Inuyasha said, "I could be hung for worse than tripping over a little girl, baka. Now, answer the question."  
  
Sitting up against the tree, Miroku rubbed the back of his head with one hand as he said, "You know the kingdom to the north, with the Prince Hobo, Hono, uh..."  
  
_'Hojo'_ Kagome thought, shuddering slightly.  
  
"Anyway," Miroku continued. He considered the guy that was the reason the princess had run away in the first place to be irrelevant. "She was betrothed to him without her consent or knowledge. Some treaty, I think. So, 'ere we are, looking for a missing princess that we, quiet literally in your case, stumbled upon, yet didn't recognize. So, now what do we do?" he asked, looking at his boss. Said guy was picking at the stray strings on his sword hilt and was staring into space. Sighing, Miroku thought of the one thing that his boss loved the most in the world and said, "Oh look, a bowl of ramen!"  
  
"Where?!" Inuyasha asked, snapped from his thoughts and looking around for the mouth-watering food. Smirking, Miroku stood and said, "Let's continue south. Since her betrothed is north, she would logically try and put as much space between them as possible." Blinking at him, Kagome figured that it was a good idea. Shame that she hadn't thought of it herself. _'Then again,'_ she thought, _'if he figured it out, then others will deduce that also. Ok... I'll go... west?'_ Watching the two searchers leave, she waited for five minutes, climbed down, and walked towards the setting sun.

_'Hmm... a town... surely I can find a place to stay... please let me find a place to stay...'_ Kagome thought as she neared the tall, wooden gate surrounding the village. When stopped by the guard and questioned on her business in the town was, she quickly replied with her pre-decided lie that she was gathering materials for her master. Looking her over, the guard nodded and she was allowed to pass. Pulling some salted pork from her large bag, she was just about to take a bite when she heard a soft mew. Looking down, she found a small, cream-colored cat with strange black markings and a fluffy, cream-colored tail. Smiling down at it, she asked, "Are you hungry, little kitty?" Mewing in response, the tiny cat rubbed its head along the girl's ankles, and how could Kagome not reward that? Tearing off a good-sized chunk, she gave it to the cat, which mewed happily and began to eat. Smiling again, Kagome once again got close to taking a bite, when a feminine voice yelled, "Kirara! Where are you?" Pricking up its tiny ears, the cat looked up when a girl rounded the corner and found the two. Quickly swallowing her pork, Kirara bounded over to the girl and rubbed her legs. Smiling at the cat, the girl looked up at and bowed to Kagome, saying, "Thank you for finding her. She has a bad habit of running off when I don't watch her carefully."  
  
"It was no trouble. It was more like she stumbled across me." Kagome explained as she stood. Wrapping up her pork again and returning it to her daypack, she was surprised when the girl said, "My name is Sango, and I live near here. You may join me at my house to rest for a while. If you need, I can give you some food for your journey." Nodding, Kagome bowed to her again and said, "Thank you Sango-sama. I am Sota, and, yeah, I'm new here." Smiling, the two walked towards Sango's house, talking of the weather, missing princess, and other daily occurrences.

"Well, we're lost."  
  
"No we aren't."  
  
"Then where are we?"  
  
"By a tree."  
  
"Be more specific."  
  
"Fine. A pine tree."  
  
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"  
  
"Shut up, ya damn priest! I know where we are!"  
  
"Then where are we boss?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Just as I thought. We're lost."  
  
"No we aren't"  
  
"We aren't starting that again are we?"  
  
"Keh."  
  
"Haven't we seen this tree already?" Miroku asked, approaching a large weeping willow. Looking at the two recent indention's in the earth beneath it, he concluded, "Ok, so we aren't lost. We're going in circles."  
  
"Keh. Told ya I knew where we were." Inuyasha said, stopping to study some footprints. They weren't his or Miroku's, seeing as how they were too small... and they headed west...  
  
"Shit! The princess was here!"  
  
"What?!" Miroku asked, looking at the cursing man. Looking at the tree's branches, he saw dried mud on one of the branch's sides and sighed. The princess had been above them the entire time they had sitting there, looking down on them while they talked about why she presumably ran away. Damn.  
  
"Well, I feel stupid." the priest muttered as he looked in the direction the tracks went.  
  
"Come on, priest! I don't have all day!" Inuyasha yelled, bringing Miroku from his thoughts. Nodding, the two ran west, hoping to catch the elusive girl.

"Okay... so, your master sent you here to get supplies and you decided to run away?" Sango asked while Kagome nodded jerkily. Sighing, the girl said, "You need help. You're horrible at lying and your story sucks."  
  
Smile faltering, Kagome said, "Uh..."  
  
"Your bindings loosened. You need to tie them tighter next time." Sango explained as she gestured to the now unbound area. Mumbling a soft, "oh", Kagome looked down to find that she was now a boy with a slightly round chest. Sighing, she asked Sango, "You won't tell, will you?"  
  
Shaking her head, Sango made a pantomine of zipping her lips, saying, "I won't tell. But, who are you? Don't you know that it's dangerous for a girl to travel on her own, even disguised as a boy?"  
  
Nodding her head wearily, Kagome told her, "But, I had to."  
  
"Why?" Sango prodded. If she was gonna keep a secret, she first had to know who she was protecting.  
  
"My parents wanted me to marry a guy that's sweet, but a bag of hammers rival him for intelligence."  
  
"What's the guy's name?"  
  
"Uh, promise you won't tell?"  
  
"I already promised." Sango told her, smiling slightly.  
  
"Ok. His name is Prince Hojo."  
  
Blinking, Sango asked, "Nani? _Prince_ Hojo? But that would make you..." Looking at the older girl, Kagome nodded slightly and asked, "You won't tell? I can't marry an idiot like that. I'd go crazy after the first week." Nodding, Sango told her, "I gave my word, remember? And, since it's a royal request, it's my duty to obey."  
  
Smiling warmly, Kagome asked her, "And what of you? What is your family's line of work?" as she removed her tunic and placed it on one of the sturdy wooden chairs. Processing the new information, Sango started, "My family and I are Protectors. We come to the aide of the kingdom when needed and serve only from the direct command of your father or his advisor." Looking up, Kagome asked, "You mean that short, pudgy man who waddles when he walks?" Stifling a laugh, Sango nodded. Tying the end of the binding around and underneath, Kagome examined her now somewhat flat chest. Sango looked at the knot and nodded, saying, "You'll need to retie it everyday in order for it to stay tight, but it will hold. Now, would you like a bath? We have a private hot spring behind the house."  
  
As the two stood and exited the house, walking towards the spring, Sango asked, "I don't have to treat you like royalty and bow and say 'You Majesty', or anything, do I?" 


	3. Fate's Sense of Humor

**Done To Death  
  
Chapter 3: Fate's Sense of Humor  
**  
The Lord sat in his big, official chair, glaring at the report sitting on his desk. The stupid outlaw was now after the missing princess? Curling his lip in disgust, he shook his head and told himself that he didn't care what happened to that failure. If he got caught, he couldn't expect to see help from him.  
  
"Lord? Your daughter wishes to see you." Sighing as he stood, the man glanced out his window and watched his subjects work. Ironic that his brother was an outlaw, when the lands of his birth was where many Protectors were born and bred. Shaking his head, the Lord let a rare smile grace his face as his young daughter leapt into his arms.  
  
"And how was my little girl today?" he asked, eyes showing his relaxed happiness that only occurred when he was with his family.  
  
"Rin was good today! She picked flowers and made some new friends! Come play with Rin Daddy!" Nodding, Sesshomaru allowed his young daughter to lead him to her playroom. He could worry about his idiotic brother later.  
  
  
  
"So, Sango-chan, how long can I stay here?" Kagome asked as she slid into the steaming hot water, sighing in satisfaction. Pulling her hair into a bun, Sango answered, "Well, I'm sure that my family will take you in if you can cook and clean. Since we have to fight and train so much, my Mother and I don't get a lot of time to do the womanly chores around the house. You won't even have to pose as a boy! And, ever since you were born, Kagome became a popular name, so we don't even need to think of a fake alias! How 'bout it?"  
  
"Sure! If you'll teach me to fight. Mother and Father never really thought that it was ladylike to get sweaty, so I have no idea how to defend myself. But, if you need help on learning how to faint, sew, cross you legs, walk, curtsy, or be a 'damsel in distress', I'm the one to call!" Smiling, Sango nodded and handed the princess a cake of soap and the two proceeded to enjoy their bath.  
  
  
  
"Tree, rock, bush, bird, rock, chipmunk, bush, rock, squirrel, oh, and look, more trees!" Miroku said as he and his 'boss' continued looking for the "lost" princess. Hell, she could have returned to the palace, been married and already have kids, and the priest wouldn't know any better. The two outlaws had been lost for who knows how long, and the vicar wasn't taking it too well.  
  
"_(sigh)_ And I had hoped to become a father before I died. Oh well, now that we're lost, we might as well make the best of it. This rock will do nicely, and this plot of ground will suffice. Now, what should I put? My epitaph has to reflect who I was, you know."  
  
"How 'bout, _'Annoying bastard that wouldn't shut up, so his friend had to kill him so he could figure out which way the princess went and where they are'_?"  
  
"No, too long. I was thinking, _'Sexy priest that women swooned over'_. How's that?" Mumbling to himself, Inuyasha reached the top of a small hill and was shocked that he had ended up here. Of all places, he was led here. Fate sure had a strange sense of humor.  
  
"Hmm? Why'd ya stop?" Miroku asked, popping up from behind the boss. Grunting, the head bandit started for the small village, deciding to check up on an old friend. Shrugging, Miroku followed, wondering if there were any pretty girls in this small, quaint town.  
  
  
  
The two girls had dried themselves and were now dressed in casual skirts and blouses, while Sango tried to decide what to do with her friend's hair. Sure, for a boy it was fine, but for a girl... Sighing, she pulled out a blue handkerchief and used it to cover the princess' short hair. Nodding, she said, "As long as you don't remove it, no one will know how short your hair is. And if they do, we can tell them that you burned it." Smiling at the girl who was helping her, Kagome nodded in understanding and stood. Choosing a spare apron and placing it over her clothes, she asked, "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Well, I've told my Mother that you're here, and she agreed to let you stay, since you'll be earning your keep. Her name is Sai. My Father's name is Tomokazu and my younger brother is Kohaku. And you've already met Kirara." Sango said as she pet the tiny cat that was resting on her shoulders. Laughing, Kagome took in the information and waved as her friend opened the front door. Turning back, Sango added, "If you need me, I'll be training in the west field, the one closest to the manor." Closing the door as she left, the Protector sighed as she went over the day's happenings. She had lost Kirara, found a strange boy, realized that the strange boy was a girl in disguise, been told that the disguised girl was the runaway princess, hired said princess to be her family's housekeeper, and now she was going to go train just like she would any other day. Smiling, she looked down at Kirara and said to the cat, "Sometimes, I wish my life was normal."  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, where are we going?"  
  
"To see a friend."  
  
"Oh..." Miroku grinned as a sudden thought flitted through his mind. Nodding sagely, he said, "I see."  
  
"Not that kind of friend!" Inuyasha yelled, bopping the priest on the head with his fist. "She's a childhood friend. I'll explain when we get there." Blinking at his leader's explanation, Miroku took time to observe the village that they were in. Strong houses, bright colors, protective manor in the background. _'Yep,'_ he thought, _'This village is well off. Best to steal from... Ok, that pot, that horse, those vegetables...'_ The 'Holy man' continued putting prices on the many items until the dark-haired boss in front of him stopped and said, "Don't."  
  
Looking away from a fat chicken that would make a wonderful meal, Miroku asked, "Don't what?"  
  
"Don't steal anything from this village."  
  
"Why not? It doesn't look like they have law enforcement, and their goods are well made. Why can't I steal from them?"  
  
Sighing, Inuyasha turned to the clueless man and said, "The reason they don't have any law enforcement present is because they don't need it. Ever hear of the Protectors?" At the man's nod, Inuyasha continued, "This village is almost completely filled to the brim with them. Even that old granny over there. Don't mess with them if you want to remain a free man." Nodding, Miroku's attention was diverted by a lovely lady walking towards a large, open field located at the front of the manor. She was petting and talking to a small, crème colored cat resting on her shoulder, emotions of wry humor playing across her face. Miroku didn't even eye the rest of her body, he was too caught up in her smiling face. He was, simply put, enraptured by her beauty. As she rounded a corner and disappeared, he sighed and quickened his step, determined to find that girl after Inuyasha had met with this friend of his.  
  
The two stopped several minutes later in front of a stout, sturdy house. The lawn was well kept, and the tree's limbs fell over the windows, giving the house plenty of shade. A soft singing reached their ears as the leaves rustled, creating a melodious harmony for the two bandits. Looking confused, Inuyasha said, "I've never known her to sing..." Walking to the door, he turned the knob and pushed it open.  
  
  
  
_"On the mountain was a treasure,  
  
Buried deep beneath a stone,  
  
And the valley people swore,  
  
They'd have it for their very own."  
_  
Kagome sang lightly while she stirred the soup that she was preparing for Sango and her family when they came back home from their training. She had the table cleaned and cleared of everything except for the wooden cups, spoons and bowls. Before starting on the food, she had dusted around the house, yet left the bedrooms pretty much alone. All that she did in the separate bedrooms was make sure that the straw in the mattresses were replaced (if needed) and she had pulled the blankets over the mattresses tightly. Happy over her housework, she heard the door open. Not turning around, she said, "Yes? Just a minute. I'm finishing the soup." Grabbing some spices from the nearby counter, she smiled as she said, "You didn't train for long. I thought that I'd have some quiet time to myself. Ok, so... Who are you?" Kagome had finally turned to see two men looking at her. Her eyes widened slightly as she thought, _'They're the guys that are after me.'  
_  
()()()  
  
Just to let you know, I don't lay claim to the song _'One Tin Soldier'_. I just had to throw a song in there, and that one popped into my head... don't ask why...

Ok, I guess that I have nothing else to say, except that I appreciate reviews, and will give you a shoutout, even if you send me a flame! So, here are the _**SHOUTOUTS**_!!!  
  
**ladyhawk89**: So glad that you think that this story rocks! _(smiles happily)_ ...even if it is your smelly gym socks... _(wrinkles nose at stinky smell and keels over, swirrly eyed)  
_  
**Oh My Blush**: Yeah! I'm getting more people than just you! And, yes, the whole Inuyasha and Hojo thing was pure genius, if I do say so myself... if a little strange... _(people reading this stare inquisitively)_ I'm not gonna tell you! _(threaten me with flames)_ Hah! That would still be a review, so I wouldn't care... and, you would get a shoutout to it anyway... _(smiles disarmingly)_  
  
**Alyssa**: Glad that you think that this story is awesome! _(smiles some more)_ So happy that you like this little fic! Oh, and, how was the meeting between Inuyasha and Miroku with Kagome? _(snickers)_  
  
**beta**: Yes, I used _'One Tin Soldier'_ from GS camp. So glad that you noticed, seeing as how we haven't sung that song in such a long time... _(please note the sarcasm here...)_


	4. Arguments

**Done to Death  
  
Chapter 4: Arguments**  
  
Inuyasha and Miroku stood there dumbly. Both had the strange, nagging feeling in the back of their minds that they had met this girl before. They watched as her hands clenched to her sides while she eyed them... warily? Looking them up and down, she asked, "Who are you and what do you want?"  
  
Surprised at the edge in her voice, Inuyasha snorted and replied haughtily, "Why should we tell a wench like you our business?"  
  
Glaring at him, she responded, "Because you walk into this house and you don't act like a civilized person should! And I am not a wench! My name is Kagome Ko—"  
  
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Kagome." Miroku cut into her rant, bowing to her. Blushing at the realization that she had been about to give away herself to the two men who she knew were after her, she was unprepared when he asked, "You wouldn't happen to be the princess, would you?" Blinking at him, she mumbled, "You wish."  
  
"Keh, if she was the princess, I wouldn't return her for the bounty! No way I'd let a bitch like THAT become the future ruler!"  
  
"What?!" Kagome growled, vein in her forehead popping out. _'How DARE he! How dare he insult me... that, that, JERK!'  
_  
"You heard me! On my honor and title, if you were the princess, I'd never turn you in for the bounty! Bitch!" Inuyasha yelled at her, fists clenching. Why did this girl with the blue handkerchief on her head rile him so much? What was special about her? Whatever it was, it was a challenge, and, deep in his subconscious he realized that, he enjoyed challenges.  
  
"Why you—!" Kagome didn't finish as a feminine voice said, "Then it's a good thing you don't have any honor! If that's how you treat all women, then you would have lost it by now anyway!"  
  
  
  
Shuuko hurried up the stairs, two at a time. Her lord was currently busy, but the news that she had was too urgent to wait. Knocking the quick pattern of raps on the door that the household used when they held vital information, she opened the door and saw her young lady decorating her Lord. In his silver hair were many bejeweled barrettes, and around his wrists were many bracelets. Looking up, Rin smiled at her and told her, "Daddy's pretty! Rin made Daddy pretty!" Nodding, Shuuko turned to Lord Sesshomaru and waited until he had removed all the jewelry and had said goodbye to his daughter, bowing to the young girl herself. Walking to his private study, she told him, "Sir, your brother is in town. Some of the villagers reported seeing him and that that priest was with him. Do you want to send for him to come here?" Not looking at the servant, Sesshomaru picked up the discarded report on his brother and sat at his desk, meticulously reading through it. Shuuko waited patiently, occasionally shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Finally, the Lord looked at her and said, "Yes. He should be here at midday in two days. He may bring a few people with him if he so wishes" Shuuko nodded and quickly left the study to tell the messenger to go find the Lord's brother. As she left the room, Sesshomaru ran his fingers through his hair and sighed as he said, "At least she didn't come rushing in to see Rin putting her mother's makeup on me..."  
  
  
  
"Sango? Who is this girl? And you better take back that comment about me not having any honor!" Inuyasha growled. Kagome asked, "Sango, do you know this rude boy? If you do, then I feel sorry for you..." Whipping around to face her, Inuyasha growled at the girl as she took off her apron, glaring at her for more effect. When she just gave him a dry look, he stopped growling, but kept his glare at full power. Shrugging, she said to the girl in the doorway, "Are you done training? Yes? Ok, do you want any soup?" Without waiting for an answer, Kagome picked up one of the bowls and filled it with the meat and veggie soup. Handing it back the girl, who smiled in thanks, she asked, "So, who are they?" jerking her thumb in the general direction of the two dark-haired boys.  
  
"Hey, we can talk!" Inuyasha yelled to her. Giving him another dry look, Kagome merely said, "Oh? Then introduce yourself. Boys, absolutely no manners..."  
  
"Why you—!" Inuyasha started when Miroku jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow. While the red-clad mad glared at him, Miroku said, "I am Miroku, a humble priest, and this is my friend, Inuyasha. But, we do not know the name of you, lovely Lady." This last sentence was directed to Sango as she slurped her soup. Laughing at the title 'Lady', she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and said, "I am Sango, Protector of the Royal family. Now, you two can sit down and have some soup if you want. It's really good." Turning her attention once again to her food, Sango discouraged any further chatter. Picking up two bowls, Kagome filled them, and then gave a small piece of meat to the begging Kirara at her feet.  
  
As Inuyasha ate his food, Miroku turned to Kagome and said, "Lady Kagome, are you also an elite Protector?"  
  
Laughing slightly, Kagome waved her hands in front of her and said, "No. Just a helper for Sango's family." Nodding, the man turned once more to his food, contemplating where he could have seen this girl's face before.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, at the Royal Palace, the King and Queen were talking to their head general. His long, wavy black hair cascaded haphazardly around his body and his cold eyes were narrowed as he heard his orders. Nodding, he bowed before turning on his heel and exited the chamber. Riding out the gates, he only had one objective coursing through his mind, **'Find the Princess'**  
  
  
  
After the meal, Kagome cleaned the bowls and dried them while talking to the two bandits and Sango. As the three began discussing different fighting techniques, she dropped out of the conversation, and as a result, was the only one who heard the sharp rap on the door. Drying her hands on her apron, she opened the door and was surprised to see a brightly clad messenger wearing the local manor's emblem standing before her.  
  
"Is Inuyasha here?" the messenger asked. Nodding, she led him in where the other three were sitting, arguing about the benefits of running away and hiding against the benefits of fighting the opponent. Bowing to Inuyasha, the messenger produced a letter from his small bag and handed it to the purple-eyed man. Bowing once again, he abruptly exited and bid them all good day, briskly walking to the stupendous manor. Closing the door, Kagome blinked, then shook her head. Walking to the group, she looked over Inuyasha's shoulder and said, "What's it say?"  
  
Snapping his gaze to her, the rude man said, "Shut up! Like I'm gonna tell a bitch like you!"  
  
"Fine! See if I care!" Kagome yelled back to the rude boy, pouting slightly. Once again looking at the paper, she read to herself, _'Dear Inuyasha,  
  
You are back. Did you tire of your "free life"? I heard that you were searching for the princess. Come see me in two days at midday, and I will tell you everything that I know of her whereabouts. You may bring a few people with you if you so desire.  
  
Rin is anticipating your visit fervently, so you better show or I shall be forced to kill you for upsetting my daughter.'_  
  
The letter wasn't signed or sealed, but Kagome could tell that it was someone important. _'Duh, the messenger came from the manor! Of COURSE it was someone important!'_ Shrugging, she asked, "So? Are ya goin'?" Looking at her, Inuyasha said, "Keh."  
  
"That's, 'Yes, I am' in Inu-language." Sango and Miroku explained instantaneously. Sweatdropping, Kagome asked, "Can I go?"  
  
"No, the letter says to go alone." Inuyasha said, as if telling a small child that he hated them and that they couldn't have any candy. Blinking, Kagome said, "No it doesn't. It says, _'You may bring a few people with you if you so desire'_. I think that means that you could bring us."  
  
"You can read?" Inuyasha asked, shocked. He hadn't expected this girl to be learned. As she nodded, he thought to himself, _'A good arguer and smart... and she's rather pretty... NO! None of those thoughts!!!'_ Sighing, he said to the group, "You can come if you want. In two days, we go to see my brother."  
  
()()()  
  
Eh... well, what did you think? I would love to hear, seeing as how I do read the reviews and respond to any questions you might have on the fic... I love long reviews! And, with long reviews, you get longer **_SHOUTOUTS_**, like the ones below!  
  
**Oh My Blush**: Yes, a princess doing house work is a bit unorthodox, but... Uh... She isn't trying to be a princess anymore? And, don't say anything about the end, because some people might not have read this fic before! (unlike you... this is, what, your third time reading it?)  
  
**ladyhawk89**: Woo-Hoo! Stereo! Yay! _(smiles)_ I'm fine with love and peace, but, I don't really need the hair-grease... _(grins)_ And, uh, happy 'whatever day that you happen to be reading this'!  
  
**Randomunit02**: I know, isn't it! Even though it is kinda depressing... not something that you want to sing everyday, but it is nice none-the-less!  
  
**Alyssa**: Well, Kagome and Inuyasha met in this chapter, so tell me what you thought... and, the groping comes into play in the next chapter, just FYI. (But, alas, fireworks never really do enter into the fic...)  
  
**Beta**: How is 'haphazardly' naughty? Joking with you, but how could you think that of everyone's favorite villain? And, yes, Fluffy doesn't deal with shit. He just gets straight to the point. You're right. I didn't even try to have him be chaste about his thoughts... but, yeah, he IS losing badly at the battle. sweatdrop Well, I don't think that he should become more like Miroku... we already have one of those, and look at the trouble he causes on his own! 


	5. Visit the Family

**Done to Death  
  
Chapter 5: Visit the Family  
**  
Much screaming and yelling (Inuyasha and Kagome), groping and slapping (Miroku and Sango), and sweatdropping (Sango's family) later, the group of four was ready to go see the man that was known as... Inuyasha's brother. Inuyasha hadn't bothered to elaborate the description of the unnamed writer of the letter that the messenger had given them. Sighing, Kagome and Sango set off towards the enormous manor, ahead of the boys. When they arrived at the mansion, Inuyasha and Miroku were leading after Miroku's "trip" that had resulted in his hand "accidentally" "resting" on Sango's butt.  
  
As the four entered the courtyard, a young girl ran to Inuyasha, giggling and jumping. Bending down to her height and hugging her, Inuyasha smiled slightly as she cried, "Uncle Inu! Uncle Inu! You came to see Rin? Rin has missed you this much!" The girl emphasized her words by stretching her little hands as far apart from one another as possible, leaning back to do so. Poking her stomach that was now sticking out because of her elaboration of her loneliness, Inuyasha said, "Then it's good I came to see you. If you missed me any more, your arms would fall off your body." Standing, he smiled softly as a woman, no taller than five feet, came and took hold of his niece's hand. Bowing to her, he said, "Sister-in-law, it's good to see you again. Rin is getting so much taller each time I see her! If you're not careful, she'll soon be towering over you!"  
  
"Be careful, Inuyasha, or I'll sick Sesshomaru on you." the lady said as she smiled to her 'brother'. Looking slightly scared for Rin's sake, Inuyasha asked in all seriousness, "Where is he, Misaki?"  
  
"In his study. You know where it is." Turning to her daughter, Misaki said, "Say goodbye now Rin. Uncle Inu needs to go talk to Daddy."  
  
"Bye Uncle Inu!" Rin cheered at him, giving his legs a quick hug before running off towards some other part of the manor. Waving to the outlaw and company, Misaki trailed after her daughter. Motioning to the three behind him, Inuyasha walked past the guards and entered the large manor. After whispering to themselves on how out of character Inuyasha was when with his family, they followed, if not slightly wary of their "leader".  
  
_'I mean,'_ Kagome thought, _'he's supposed to be arrogant, cold and a jerk, not kind, loving and huggable! And that's what he was back there! Very, very huggable... NO! Purge those thoughts Kagome!!!'_ Shaking her head back and forth in an attempt to clear her mind, Kagome climbed the flight of stairs and paused outside an ornate doorway. "Come in.," a voice commanded the four from inside. Pushing ahead, Inuyasha entered, then Sango, with Miroku close behind (no pun intended), Kagome entering the room last.  
  
"Good to see you all. Please, sit down."  
  
  
  
"She was here," the wavy-haired general stated to himself, his horse and the dirt he held in his hand. He stood by the weeping willow located by the small stream and was examining the small footprints in the mud. Seeing two other tracks though, he wondered if she was being held captive. Resolving to himself that he would kill the ones who dare hurt HIS princess, the general stood and mounted the horse, heading west.  
  
  
  
_'Uh oh...'_ Sango thought as the three males looked at her. Thinking quickly, she said, "Of course I've seen the princess! Who hasn't?" Holding her breath, she prayed to every Higher Being that they would swallow the half- truth that she had just given them. Somehow, Lord Sesshomaru had steered the discussion to her with the question of had she seen the princess. Kagome had kept her gaze on the sparrow just outside the window the entire time.  
  
"Yes, just have you seen her recently?" Sesshomaru asked the girl. Swallowing, she opened her mouth to answer. "Well," Sango started to say as the door was thrown open and a VERY distraught servant came running in. Panting, he told Sesshomaru, "General... _(pant)_ Naraku _(pant)_ here to _(pant)_ see you, _(pant pant)_ Milord." Nodding to the air-deprived servant, Sesshomaru and his four guests looked at the door as an authoritative figure came into the room. His eyes scanned the area, taking in every person, chair and space. Stepping inside, he bowed slightly to Sesshomaru and said in a voice laced with hate to the world, "Lord Sesshomaru, how... nice... to see you again."  
  
Not even bothering to bow his head in acknowledgement to his new guest, Sesshomaru asked, "What business do you have here?" Strolling over to the Lord's desk, the general said, "I am here under Royal orders regarding the missing princess. I believe that she was kidnapped. You wouldn't happen to know where she is?"  
  
Narrowing his amber eyes at the cold man in front of him, Sesshomaru asked in a deadly voice, "You aren't implying that I would have kidnapped the princess, are you?"  
  
"No! I was just asking if you happened to know where she was! Everyone knows that you have the best spies in the kingdom." Even though Naraku's eyes widened in protest to Sesshomaru's question, his voice showed his disappointment in not catching the 'kidnapper'.  
  
"Now, if you will please leave, I am in the middle of a meeting." Sesshomaru said, turning his face away from the general. Bowing almost mockingly, Naraku exited the study and closed the door firmly behind him. After a few moments, Kagome asked Sesshomaru, "The princess was kidnapped? But, I heard that no one saw her leave."  
  
"Of course, she had to have had help. Royal ladies can't do anything for themselves, they always have to have help..." Inuyasha remarked to the group. Steam coming from her ears, it took all of Kagome's willpower to not yell at him. She was a cook/housekeeper now, not a princess dammit! However, even though her anger went unobserved by Miroku and Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and Sango noticed. The Protector squeezed Kagome's elbow and shook her head _'No'_. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and asked, "Lady Kagome, why do you wear that handkerchief on your head?" Looking at him, Kagome stuttered, "I-I b- burned my hair." Eyes narrowing, Inuyasha gave the girl a calculating look and said, "It couldn't have been burned that short. Remove it."  
  
"My hair?!" Kagome asked, hoping to get an argument started. Hey, who knows, he could forget what they were talking about.  
  
"No, the handkerchief." Inuyasha stated. Okay, no such luck. Placing her hands on her head, Kagome said, "No, the ends are uneven." Growling, Inuyasha moved faster than her eye could follow, and she felt her neck being brushed by her short hair. Glaring at the outlaw, she said, "Great, Jerk."  
  
"You're, you're..." Inuyasha stuttered while Miroku's eyes widened. Sesshomaru blinked, but bowed his head in her direction while Sango sat in her chair, beating her fist against her head.  
  
"The princess? Yeah. Now, can I have that back?" Kagome said, not waiting for an answer and taking her handkerchief back from the dumbfounded outlaw. Tying it once more around her head she said, "Okay, stop staring. You're making me nervous."  
  
()()()  
  
Well, just got back from camp, but I get to go back tomorrow (in monotone: Yay), so that is why, if you reviewed, that I didn't respond to you. I didn't die! I was just sweating a whole bunch out in the middle of nowhere... So, now that I'm back in air conditioning, I think that I'll have some fun and do the _**SHOUTOUTS**_!!!  
  
**Responses for :**  
  
**Inuyashadabest**: Well, I can't really write more, since this story is complete... (smiles evilly) Yes, I have it all written out and I haven't posted it all yet... (you glare) Please, don't kill me (I hide behind my desk, refusing to come out) (pops back out after a few seconds) And, thank you SO much for the compliment!  
  
**Alyssa**: Hey, don't be depressed because there were no fireworks! Things are just now getting interesting! (smiles) And, yes, you were definitely correct on the whole groping thingy...  
  
**ladyhawk89**: Thanks for the compliment! Oooh! Wedding! Cake! I'm hungry now... (goes and finds random food from fridge) Well, how'd ya like the chapter? C'mon, you can tell me!  
  
**Randomunit02**: Wow... you have my updating schedule thingy memorized... O.o Thanks for all your reviews! Yay! (gives you cookie)  
  
**Black** **Dragon**: Wow... How did you figure that out? Was it really all that obvious? (hangs head in shame) (looks back up) Eh? Pairings? Well, I can tell you that this is definitely not an Inuyasha/Kagura, if that is what you were wondering... (Hey, you put Inu/Kag, so I can assume all that I want from that) Well, I'll bring my sunscreen and shades, cuz it's gonna be a bit toasty down there...  
  
**Responses to my readers at :**  
  
**chickenlover2**: My Kami, how on earth did you know all that?! Great, my story is just so easy to see through... Uhm, I think I sent you an e-mail telling you why Fluffy has white/silver hair while Inuyasha has black... And, sadly Kouga will not be making any appearance in this fic... read the last chapter to find out the reason why! (I'm evil, ne?) And, I don't know why you are asking all these questions, but I enjoyed your review very much! (smiles happily) Chickens?! Where?! (hides from the chickens)  
  
**fireice**: Thank you for reviewing, and I am very glad that you find it interesting! Yay! Somebody likes my fic! (dances around in happiness) (stops when I am being given strange looks) What? Have you never seen somebody dance before? (starts dancing again)  
  
**Oi Beta**: Yes, I AM proud of my quadruple prep! I think I lowered it down to a double, but that's the best that I could do and still make the sentence make sense...sorry. Yes, I modeled Rin off of (DOUBLE PREP) one of my little cousins. So, I knew how to make her the cute little girl that is wide-eyed and naïve. I also feel sorry for the rocks, just having to be in the presence of the "mighty" Naraku...and, I think he changed his sex from undetermined to non-existent...(DUH! Naraku IS a moron! Naraku = Moron! Didn't you know that?) And, no, Naraku can't see every atom. Only the important ones. And, he created superman (Shh! Don't tell anybody!)  
  
You liked the spankings didn't you? ...I don't give him spankings... I DON'T... why are you looking at me like that?! Don't you believe me?! And, yes, Inu has ADD, Sango is suicidal (why else would she beat her head?), and Inu is also Kagome's stalker. _(PS: For anyone reading this, don't listen to anything that is written here unless you are us. And if you think that that means US, as in we, then you shouldn't even be reading this.)_


	6. Field Trip to the Palace!

**Done to Death  
  
Chapter 6: Field Trip to the Palace!  
**  
"You're the princess?!" Inuyasha demanded.  
  
"Yeah, sorry to disappoint you." Kagome replied, continuing to look out the window. It had been like this for the past fifteen minutes, and she was hoping that the guy would just give it a rest. How hard could it be to believe anyway?  
  
"But, you can't be the princess!" Inuyasha yelled to her. Looking at him in a bored fashion, she asked, "Oh? And why on earth not?"  
  
"Because you don't act like a lady!"  
  
"Yeah, and you're a lord."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
Turning once again to the window, Kagome said, "Never mind, your brain just can't handle complex sentences."  
  
Growling at her, Inuyasha muttered, "Bitch."  
  
"Aw, Inuyasha, sit down!" Miroku said, coming up from behind the guy and pushing him into one of the cushy chairs. Turning to face the princess, Miroku said, "We have to take you back to the big- important- palace thing, ya know."  
  
"I know." Kagome sighed. Her guards would be doubled or even tripled until her wedding, so she no longer had any hopes of escaping to freedom. "I mean," she continued, more to herself than to the other's in the room, "There has to be some perks to being married to Prince Hojo. He is even slower than Inuyasha here, and that's saying something, so I'll always be the smartest. And I'll never be a spinster... There has to be something else that's good! There has to be..." Trailing off, a silent tear escaped and fell onto her clenched fist. Sensing that she was upset, (the ever slow) Inuyasha asked, "Oi, Bit — PRINCESS, what's wrong?" Turning to glare at him, she said sarcastically, "Hmm, I don't know. Maybe EVERYTHING!!" Blinking at her tearstained cheek, the bandit asked, "Why're you cryin'? You're life ain't endin'..."  
  
"Might as well be." Kagome mumbled to herself. Cocking his head to one side, Inuyasha asked, "Why?"  
  
Glaring at him, she cried, "Because I'll be losing what little freedom a princess has! I'll be a wife to a man that I've never even met before in my life! But, hey, who cares if Kagome is unhappy, as long as the kingdom prospers from it!" Surprised to see that she wasn't scared to be married, like he had originally thought, but was trying to preserve her freedom, Inuyasha was at a loss for words. Not knowing what to do, he just stood there, opening and closing his mouth, hoping that the words would just fall out. But no word tumbled out and cheered the girl up from her despair, or got her yelling at him some more, or anything. Blinking through her tears when she saw his face, Kagome chuckled, wiping the salt- water off her face. Hearing the sound, everybody in the room looked at her, wondering why she was laughing when she had earlier been crying over the recent discovery. Clutching her stomach and pointing, Kagome said, "You just, haha, looked like a, haha, fish, standing there, opening and closing your mouth like that!" Everyone except the said bandit started laughing and/or smiling as the princess explained, each imagining a fish with Inuyasha's head. Crossing his arms over his chest and sitting in his chair with a "Feh!", Inuyasha couldn't help but be happy that he had somehow managed to cheer Kagome up, even if it was at his own expense.  
  
  
  
After the group had recovered from their joke and sat down to decide how soon Kagome needed to return to the palace (the girl asked to never be sent back, but they ruled that option out), the four left the manor and headed back to Sango's house. The next day, they would all begin their travel to the palace and would probably arrive there in two days time. Long after the two girls and Miroku had fallen asleep, Inuyasha stayed awake, trying to count the stars, wondering if he should just let the princess 'escape' so she could live her own life.  
  
  
  
Naraku smiled sinisterly to himself. So, that girl with the bandana on her head was the princess? No wonder her face had looked so familiar. What good fortune that the servant had been easy to knock unconscious, and that none of the other servants dared to disturb their lord while he was in a meeting. It had made it only too easy for the amoral general to eavesdrop on the conversation inside the study after he had left. After all, he WAS determined to rescue the princess after the reward that the King and Queen would give him when he succeeded.  
  
Anything he wants.  
  
And he wanted Kagome.  
  
  
  
"I spy... something... annoying." Kagome said.  
  
"Kagome-chan, it has to be a color, otherwise, how am I supposed to guess. Though I DO have an idea as to what you're thinking of..." Sango said, stepping over a rock that was in her way. The two girls were following the boys along the path to the palace. The difference between this journey and the one that Kagome had taken only three days ago was that, (a) She was headed east, and not west, (b) she had traveling companions and (c) they were using the "official" road and not stumbling through the bracken. Using this road, they should arrive at the palace in a day, while it had taken Kagome almost a day and a half the last time that she was in these woods. Sighing, Kagome amended, "Fine. Something red."  
  
"Hmm... that innocent flower?" Sango asked, pointing to said pansy.  
  
"No." Kagome laughed, tripping slightly on a half-hidden log. Righting herself, she added, "You know it."  
  
"My hair ribbon?" the girl asked, grabbing the crimson fabric. Shaking her head, Kagome smiled and nodded when her amigo said, "Well then, I _GUESS_ it's... Inuyasha!"  
  
"Hai, hai, it's your turn."  
  
"Hmm... I spy..."  
  
The two girls continued their game while the boys ahead of them discussed how they would like to get to the palace. They both decided that the group could spend the night in the woods and then finish the walk to the palace the next day. Searching for water, the two stumbled upon, (quiet literally) a secluded waterfall, not too far off the path. As the girls came upon the small pond and streamlet, the boys emerged from underwater. Raising her eyebrow, Sango asked, "What are you two doing?"  
  
"Fair Sango, we came across this waterfall and, uhm, decided to go for a swim?" Miroku said while Inuyasha rung out his hair, mumbling about stupid rocks that got in his way and tripped him. Eyeing the priest, Sango stepped away from the edge and said, "Kagome and I will start the food while you two can dry off. We'll call you when the meal is ready." Nodding, the two boys started wringing out their clothes while the girls gathered wood and started cooking the meats that Kagome had packed on that dark night only four days ago. Preparing the pork, Sango called the boys over and the four all ate their meal, occasionally taking a drink of water from one of Kagome's bottles. After the supper, Sango and Kagome went to the waterfall and took a short, but relaxing, bath. Throughout the bath, Kagome had the strange feeling that she was being watched, and Sango commented that it was probably the priest (After being groped fifty times a day, one would become paranoid...) hiding in the bushes. After the two girls had dried themselves and returned to the campfire, the stars and moon were hanging in the sky, winking down at them. Yawning, Kagome pulled her pack under her head and fell into a dreamless sleep.  
  
  
  
A dark shadow jumped from tree to tree, pausing once to look down at a sleeping girl with drastically short hair. By leaping from tree to tree, it had traveled behind the group and had watched while the girls took their baths. Naraku sat on the branch he was currently residing on and began to plan on how to take the princess. Smiling coldly, he stood and whispered to the sleeping girl, "Soon, my princess. Soon, you'll be mine."  
  
As he leaped away from the group, two purple- eyes cut through the darkness, focusing on the branch that he had just occupied.  
  
()()()  
  
Well, here is my explanation as to why this post is so much later than most:  
  
Last weekend I had to go to a family reunion in Kansas _(the land of perpetually flat ground! Get a postcard! Three for one dollar!)_, then I came back home. But, the night that I was actually able to get on the computer again, my dad woke up and found me still on at midnight... So, I was grounded till this weekend! Injustice! _(glares at dad)_ Anyway, here is the update, and I hoped that you all enjoyed the chapter, and if you would be so kind as to leave a review, then I will give you a drive around town in my new _Forester_! _(jumps up and down)_ I finally have it! _(glomps car)_  
  
And now, onto the _**SHOUTOUTS**_!  
  
_**Responses for :**_  
  
**Alyssa**: No, no fireworks yet, but I promise you that there will be a big showing in the last few chapters! Just stick around, and you won't be disappointed! Thanks for all your loverly compliments! They make me hyper! (_**Muse**_: Great... Just what we need... A hyper Kimiki... _**Kimiki**_: Pipe down over there! _(makes Muse disappear)_ )  
  
**ladyhawk89**: Really?! Yay! Not just 'muy', but 'muy muy'! I learned Spanish! _(smiles)_ Well, if we're gonna keep this up... Happy July_ (checks calendar)_ 31!  
  
**Randomunit02**: Well, what am I supposed to say to that? Can't really say anything but, 'Glad that you like 'em...' _(sweatdrops)_ Can't really respond to a five word review... _(watches as people go and read your review to see what I'm blathering on and on about) (watches as people also look up 'blather')_ Hey, this is kinda entertaining, yanno? _(grabs popcorn and begins partaking in people watching)_ **{this is a rather long response for a five letter review, no? _(smiles)_ }**  
  
**Oh My Blush**: Okay, this is for both your reviews, so it's gonna be a bit long... First, chapter four... Foreshadowing? What foreshadowing? _(whistles innocently)_ (_**Muse**_: But you can't whistle...) _(whistling stops suddenly)_ (_**Kimiki**_: You just had to go and say that, didn't you?!) (_**Muse**_: _(nods)_ ) (_**Kimiki**_: Grr...) Sango was there the whole time... Just FYI... And, no, I think that that line was in there when you first read/ betaed it...  
  
Now, chapter five... Duh! Why _would_ you have had one in the last chapter?! You took forever and a day to give me the reviews... just goes to show how much you love me... _(cries in corner)_ (_**Muse**_: Just ignore her and she'll calm down) _(few seconds later)_ That was a verb that I never expected to be used to describe Miroku and/or Inuyasha... Dainty...? Oh, and you're welcome for the yaoi... _(smirks)_ I enjoyed writing it probably as much as you did reading it... _(smirk widens)_  
  
**Shalaren**: That was so nice of you! Now I feel all warm and fluffy on the inside! _(smiles)_ For that, you get a... _(dramatic music and lights)_ **COOKIE CAKE!!!** Just tell me what you like and you will get it in the next response! _(smiles some more)  
_  
**Trinity-33**: Dude, you finally reviewed to this fic! So proud of you! _(grins)_ You better hurry your ass up with SI... I'm dying from suspense over here! _(Joking, take your time, as long as you have it updated by my birthday **{FYI: June 17th...}** )_ Thank you, I rather like my double preps also! _(Later...:)_ Dang it... I was about to post, and then I checked my mail and saw that you had reviewed more than once... Grr... Okay, so, thanks for the compliment on the shower- thingys! So glad that they look good! You got forked?! Go Fishsticks! _(waves banner)_ Oh man, applying for college already?! Poor you... _(sighs)_ Don't kill yourself by getting squashed by falling paperwork. Hey, it's been known to happen! LOVED the chapter four review! Anybody who might be reading this response _(besides **Trinity-33**)_, Go read it! So funny!  
  
_**Responses to:**_  
  
Okay, I really appreciate **chickenlover2** and **KougaLover3056** for reviewing to my fic, but I can't seem to pull up the actual reviews... _(sweatdrops)_ So, thanks SO much for your reviews, even though I haven't read them yet! _(smiles and sweatdrops **(wow, I can multitask!)** )_ So, you get a cookie each, since you didn't get a response in this chapter! _(hands out cookies)_  
  
**beta**: Inu reminds you of Sano and Duo?! O.o Is that a good thing? _(Yes, Inu is very macho)._ And, yes, only Inu would stay awake and try and count the stars... And, on the pansy thing... I had to pick on it! The rocks were on vacation, and the squirrels threatened to hit me with their acorns if I put them in the fic! Plus, how many RED rocks and RED squirrels are there in Japan _(or where ever they are)_ ? And then you're getting onto me for the log incident! It was only one trip! Not even a trip, but a stumble! GRRG!!!! Then you talked about justice!!! How DARE you bring in the justice speech into this! _(Corey still has to tell us that justice thingy, ya know... Since I never heard it...)_ Oh wise one... _(bows)_ You knew who was watching the girls while they took their bath, being a mean peeping tom... _(bows again) (PS: Yes, Naraku is a bad perv., while Miroku DOES just want to get laid...and, I didn't even WANT to know what Naraku does in his spare time... **{You said: Naraku would be the kind of guy that would rape small children, be them guy or girl. That's rather nasty. Yuck.}** I agree...Yuck.)_


	7. Forgotten Memories

**Done to Death **

**Chapter 7: Forgotten Memories **_(this sounds depressing, ne?)_

{{{**Warnings**: Yes, for once I'm putting a warning up here. _(ahem)_ Okay, there is a part in here that many of my readers have not understood before. Just read through it and then go to the explanation at the bottom of the page. Then, go back and read the part over again and tell me if the explanation helped any. Now back to your regularly scheduled fic.}}}

"But Momma... I don't wanna get up..." Kagome mumbled in her sleep. But, since when did her mother poke her in the ribs with her... boot? And when did her pillow become so hard and lumpy? And, was someone calling her a wench?!

Sitting up from the blankets, Kagome recognized Inuyasha, who was glaring down his nose at her. Standing wordlessly, she lifted her pack, ready to go. Hearing a resounding slap, she turned to see a dazed Miroku and a blushing Sango. Sighing at the priest's stupidity, Kagome smiled at her friend and said, "Sango-chan! Ohayo!"

"Ohayo Kagome-chan. Ready to leave?"

"Hai! But, you sure that you guys don't want to go anywhere except the palace?"

"Gomen Lady Kagome, but we must take you back." Miroku said from his position on the ground. If he didn't move, he could look up Sango's dress. "You understand?"

"Hai. Just thought I'd try..." Kagome said as Sango realized what the priest was doing and slapped him to Hentai kingdom come and back again. Yelling, Inuyasha told the group, "Come on! Stop wasting time! We can talk as we walk!"

Glaring at his friend, Miroku said, "Man, he's cold." Sighing, Kagome started walking to the tree where the outlaw was waiting. Smiling at him she said, "Well, let's go."

The group came to a large hill overlooking the last main city before the palace. Sighing, Miroku sat on one of the many large rocks, removed his boots and began rubbing the soles of his feet. Sitting beside him, Sango asked, "Kagome-chan, do you have any water?" Digging through her bag, Kagome tossed the bottle to her friend and sat underneath one large oak, taking in the sun's rays. Glaring at the three, Inuyasha barked, "What are you doing?! We don't have time to rest! Get off your lazy asses and walk!"

"Give it a rest, your highness." Sango instructed, popping her neck. Instantly clamping his mouth shut, Inuyasha continued to glare at the three until he turned his back to them and sat on the grassy hill. Looking at Sango, Kagome asked, "How'd you do that?!"

Shrugging, the girl responded, "I've known him since we were kids. It was a game that we used to play..." Kagome nodded at the vague answer and leaned against the tree trunk. Hearing the wind rustling the leaves, she smiled lazily and closed her heavy eyelids. Slipping into her dreamland, she didn't even feel the pair of arms wrapping around her, carrying her away from her friends.

[][][]

"Miroku, Why do you always grope me?!" Sango screamed at the priest.

"Why do you have to be so beautiful?" Miroku asked her calmly. Glaring at him, Sango asked, "And why can't you ever be serious?"

"Who says that I'm not?" Miroku asked her, just as calm as earlier. Blinking, Sango turned her beet red face away from the man sitting next to her and looked to see if Kagome had heard that last comment. When she didn't see the girl under the tree, she looked to Inuyasha and asked, "Where did Kagome go?" Not looking at the Protector, Inuyasha said, "Isn't she under that tree?"

"No. Did you see her leave?" the girl asked, worry weaving its way into her voice. Looking at her, Inuyasha asked, "She isn't there? Dammit! Did she run away?"

Standing, Miroku inspected the ground under the tree and noticed that some of the dirt formed a trail, leading away from the tree, and then stopped. Visualizing what could have made that, he spoke up to the two others, "She was carried away."

"Huh?" Inuyasha and Sango both looked at him, wondering how he figured that. Pointing to the trail, he said, "First, she was dragged from the tree. Then, someone picked her up, off of the ground, and carried her away from here. That's all I can figure from this."

Picking up her cloak, Sango started walking in the direction that the drag-lines went and yelled over her shoulder, "Well? Let's get amovin'! We don't have all day to rescue her!"

[][][]

_Darkness. She was sitting in it, watching as people and places passed her by. Recognizing one person, the girl asked herself, "Are these... my thoughts? Memories? Where am I?" Looking at her palm, she asked again, "Who am I?" Turning her attention once again to the rapidly changing scenes, she gasped when a little boy with a man and a woman zoomed by._

_"Sota... Momma... Daddy..." she whispered, but for the life of her, she still couldn't remember her own name. Somehow, she knew that if she could only remember it, she would wake up. Hearing a voice through her thoughts, she caught the words,_ "...Koharu Kyoko Hikaru Higurashi."

_"What was the first word?" she screamed to the unheeding darkness. Through her dewy eyes, she watched as a man with long black hair and a man with short raven hair pulled into a small ponytail sat below her tree, opening the door to their shocked faces, and laughing with them. A girl whizzed by, her face red with anger and embarrassment as she slapped the man with short hair to the ground. Sighing, she said, "Sango... Miroku... Inuyasha..."_

_Suddenly, it all came back to her. She was engaged to Prince Hojo and she had run away from her home, the Palace. Inuyasha and Miroku had tried to catch her for the bounty, and Sango had taken her in from the outside. They had gone to see Inuyasha's brother, Lord Sesshomaru, where her secret had been discovered. Then the four had set out together to return her to the palace. But, then, why was she in this place? And, What Was Her NAME?!_

_Yelling out her frustration, she huddled her knees against her body when she heard Inuyasha's voice say, "Why should we tell a wench like you?" "I'd never turn you in for the bounty! Bitch!" Growling to herself, the girl stood and yelled to the scowling image of Inuyasha, "My name is Kagome! Ka-go-me! Not wench, not bitch, **KAGOME**!"_

_White light filled her vision as she regained all her forgotten memories and consciousness, and she lost all thought process and gave into the brilliance._

[][][]

Running, the three teens hurried to catch the nameless kidnapper of the princess. Inuyasha led the way, with Miroku and Sango following close behind him. Stopping suddenly, Inuyasha held out his hands to the two others behind him. Looking over his shoulder, Sango gulped as she saw the deep chasm stretching out before her. They had run further east than she had thought. This was Midoriko's Canyon, where the Lady Protector turned Queen had defended the kingdom for seven days straight. Looking to her right, she found a weathered rope bridge a few feet away that stretched across the entire gap. And, on the other side of the chasm was a small, disappearing speck! Not wasting any time, Sango ran to the bridge and started shuffling across it. Ignoring the cries of warning from the two boys, she yelled to them, "Kagome's kidnapper is on the other side!" Blinking momentarily, the two bandits hurried to the bridge and the three ran to the other cliff.

[][][]

_'My head hurts...'_ was Kagome's thought as she squinted her eyes against the midday sun. Someone was carrying her as if she was a sack of potatoes, and it wasn't one of the most comfortable positions she had ever been put into in her life. Struggling to get down from the position, she felt the person stop and grab her by the waist. Blinking away the pain in her head from the sudden movement, the princess gasped when she saw the person's face.

"No, you're..."

()()()

Okay, explanation time!

About the whole _'Kagome blanking out and forgetting her memories'_ thing: Remember how Kagome was kidnapped from under the tree in this chapter? _(readers nod)_ Well, her kidnapper would have naturally knocked her upside the head to keep her in dreamland as long as (s)he could. So, the blow to the head was what caused Kagome to go into the strange, forgetfulness place. Since it has been about half a year since I wrote this, that is all that I remember, so just assume that Kagome had a brief lapse of amnesia, and let's just leave it at that! Now, on to the **_SHOUTOUTS_**! (**Warning on the shoutouts**: When I did the FF .net responses, I was in a VERY sarcastic mood. So, if you feel like I'm putting you down or anything, I am not, it was just the mood that I was in at the moment. I tend to get a little carried away with my humor every now and then, and that just happened to be one of those times! But, other than that, go ahead and find your replies!)

**Responses to all my reviewers at Fanfiction .net:**

**Shalaren**: _(sweatdrops and laughs nervously)_ Wow... you really got hyper off that cake, didn't you? But, really, who doesn't love cookie cake? Or Fluffy? Or huggable little Inuyasha._ (Yes, I did do that. I used 'huggable' to describe the pompous ass, Inuyasha.) (rereads review)_ _'Like'_ a loony...? Well, uh... _(smiles nervously and takes a step back a few feet)_ Well, let's just say that that white jacket looks nice on ya... Oh, look at the time... _(wristwatch hands move)_ See, that small stick is at the six, and the big stick is at that blank spot in between the three and six! Well, have to run! Been a real blast, let's do it again sometime! _(runs off)_ _(**Muse**: Wow, she was really bored, wasn't she?)_

**InuYashaLover-08: **Well, here is your new chapter. I was seriously debating on whether or not to post this weekend, but it seemed like you would come and get me in my sleep if I didn't post. The whole CAPITAL letters thing... _(laughs)_ But then you ruined the whole mood by saying _'Plz?'_ so, here you go, the next installment, hopefully as entertaining as the rest of the chapters.

**Randomunit02: **Gack! Four words this time! Are you going for a new record or something? _'Shortest Review Award'_? Sorry, but that is for 'The Cousin', that's the only fic where I am gonna give out awards... So... Uh... _(smiles) (**Muse**: She smiles when she can't think of anything else to say... How pathetic...) (**Kimiki**: Shut up you!) (**Muse**: If I shut up, then all your inspiration goes down the drain...) (**Kimiki**: Don't you dare stop talking, you great little Muse, you!) (**Muse**: ...Flattery will get you nowhere.) (**Kimiki**: Damn.)_

**Alyssa:** My gosh! You are a master of being subtle!_ (joking)_ But, thanks for the review, really was funny... _(smiles)_ But, I've stared unblinkingly before... So, if you were like that the whole time that you were waiting for this next chapter, I have a piece of advice for you: Blink! Blink now!

**Responses to all my reviewers at MediaMiner .org:**

**PhoenixoftheMoon:** Dude, your review was so wordy! Wow! ...Wait, your first two sentences were all _'Look, I know big words, and I can spell them correctly to boot!'_, then you second two were all, _'Hey, I'm from Oklahoma!'_ So, which is it! I demand an answer now!_ (stares intently at you, demanding that you answer) (**Ps**: If you are offended by the whole Oklahoma thing, I don't blame you. It is just that I am from the state myself, so I can make fun of it all I want and not be labeled as someone that is snobby, looking down on the state full of rednecks. In fact, some of my cousins are rednecks!) (**PSS**: I did like the last two sentences, however. They made me laugh. _(smiles)_) _

**InuGirlTeen:** Really? You like my AU, when you usually don't like em that much? That gave me a huge burst in self esteem! _(smiles happily) _Haha! I can do anything!_ (**Muse**: You can't fly) (**Kimiki**: Watch me!) (goes to top of building) (**Muse**: ...) (**Announcer person voice thingy**: Stay tuned to see what Kimiki will do! Will she fly, or fall to her death? Next time on **InuGirlTeen's** response; No Need For Stupid Author's With Their Pointless Little Ramblings! **(It's positively deranged)**) (kudos to anyone who knows what anime that last part was based on...)_

**KougaLover3056:** Wow! 10 out of 10?! I feel so loved!_ (smiles) (**Ps**: I have a question: What does the '**3056'** stand for? Just wondering...)_

**chickenlover2nli: **No, I wouldn't say that Naraku is in -love- with Kagome. More like, in love with her position. I mean, come on, all Naraku wants to do in life is three things; **1. Rule the World, 2. Be able to laugh evilly anytime he wants, and 3. Get his hair and nails done every weekend.**_ (Not necessarily in that order, either...)_

**beta**: Yeah. I liked this chapter also... for once I don't have that much to say to ya... But, it doesn't really matter since you hopped the pond, and your now with the Europeans over there, looking down on all us Americans. Hope the play goes well! Don't forget the candles! _(smiles) (**Ps**: Did you get a rock?!)_


	8. The Welcome Home

**Done to Death**

**Chapter 8: The Welcome Home**

"You're General Naraku?!" Kagome yelled, yanking from the man's strong grip. Smirking at her, he said, "Now, is that any way to treat your savior?"

"What? You're no more a savior then you are a duck!" Kagome yelled at him, raising her voice in the hopes that someone would hear her and come to her aide. _'Though,'_ she thought, _'the chances of that happening are slim...'_

"Now, Kagome, don't yell. I saved you from that phony Protector and those two deadly bandits. You could show more gratitude." Naraku said, stepping closer to the girl. Moving back several feet, Kagome glared at him and tensed her muscles, ready to run at a moments notice. As he took another step towards her, she bolted and started to blindly run from him. As she pushed through the branches and limbs of trees and bushes, she heard her name being called by someone in the distance. Running towards the voice, she chanced a look behind her and saw that Naraku was steadily gaining on her. Using her last reserve of energy, she cleared the underbrush and saw Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha all staring at her. As Inuyasha reached her side, Naraku burst forth from the brushwood and caught his breath. Glaring daggers at the man, Inuyasha demanded, "Who are you? That general person?!" Standing tall and looking down his nose at the three interlopers, Naraku said, "I am returning the princess to the Royal Palace. Hand her over without trouble and your sentencing will be less harsh."

"What are you blabbing about?!" Inuyasha demanded the general. Leaning against the outlaw, Kagome said to the group, "He thinks that he rescued me from, what was it? Oh yeah. A _'phony Protector and two deadly bandits'_. He says that he's my savior." Pushing the exhausted princess to Sango, Inuyasha faced the general and said, "You bastard. You were wanting to frame us for kidnapping Kagome, weren't you?"

"Don't forget your place, scum! Refer to her as _'Lady'_ or _'Princess Kagome'_." Naraku ordered the dark-haired boy. Growling, Inuyasha drew his sword and rushed at the man, slashing at the general's arm. Stepping back from the attacking outlaw, Naraku drew his own sword and sneered at the youth, saying, "How proper. I will kill all the kidnappers, and then be rewarded for my services."

Slashing once again at the general's torso, Inuyasha demanded, "And what did you ask for? A brain?"

"No." Naraku said, cutting Inuyasha's back as the other raced by him. "The princess."

"**_WHAT?!_**" came the indignant cry from Kagome, but neither of the fighters paid any attention. Cutting Naraku's right wrist by several inches, Inuyasha stepped back and inspected several of his own wounds. Many were located on his back, there was one placed on his neck and one on his left shoulder. Taking in his surroundings, he saw that his back was to the canyon.

'_Aw shit... This isn't good...'_ he thought as Naraku came barreling towards him.

[][][]

'_Inuyasha!'_ Kagome thought as she watched the fight between the outlaw and general in horror. Both sported several wounds, but Inuyasha held the most. Sucking in her breath as Naraku dealt the bandit a nasty blow, she saw Inuyasha stager, then fall on one knee, blood pooling around him. As each red droplet fell, terror began to fill her being. She would be stuck with Naraku? What had she done to deserve this? Praying to all Higher Beings, she held her breath as Naraku said, "You have fought well, for scum. Now, let me put you out of your misery." Holding his sword, Naraku readied his arm for the killing blow as Inuyasha tapped into his lightning-fast speed to get behind the general and leave a large, diagonal mark across his back. Stumbling around for a proper footing, Naraku felt the edge of the chasm at the back of his heel and the two stood in that position for a moment. Just as Kagome thought that Inuyasha might let the general live, the outlaw raised his sword and stated, "Now, die." as he swung the flat of the blade under the general's feet. Tumbling back and away from the solid ground, Naraku didn't let a sound escape his lips as he fell onto the large collection of rocks many miles below. After the dust had settled, Inuyasha cleaned his bloodied blade on his tunic and sheathed it. Facing the three again, he saw that Sango and Miroku were arguing, while Kagome watched them and their bickering, slightly befuddled. Walking to them, Inuyasha asked, "What's going on here now?"

Turning to her childhood friend, Sango said, "I told him to go and help you fight, but he just cowered behind Kagome-chan! How can you have such a wuss in your band?"

"Easy. He's living proof." Inuyasha stated as he sat to decide how to get to the palace. Feeling gentle hands on his back, he whipped around to find a somewhat startled Kagome looking back at him. Holding up the roll of bandages she held in her hand, she told him, "Just sit still while I patch you up, okay?" Grumbling, Inuyasha obliged and sat completely still as the princess' hands gently bound his cuts and gashes.

[][][]

After a few hours of resting, Inuyasha was ready to start on his way to the palace. Following him closely, Kagome hovered by his side, worry written over her regal features. Following the two, Sango and Miroku chatted about anything and everything, except for their feelings about the other. Passing through the last small town, Kagome sighed and started combing her hair using her fingers. Watching her, Inuyasha asked, "What are you doing?"

"Preparing."

"For what?"

"Court."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a princess."

"Eh?"

Sighing, Kagome explained, "The Court always expects me to look my best, even if I have just returned from nearly a week in the wilderness." Shrugging his shoulders, Inuyasha told her, "Who cares what they think? I don't."

"What do you mean?" Kagome started to ask, yet was interrupted as Sango triple-kicked Miroku to the ground with her battle cry of, "**_HENTAI!!!_**" Shaking their heads, Kagome and Inuyasha watched the fight ensue between the Protector and priest.

[][][]

"**Sango**: 27. **Miroku**: Zip, zilch, nada, null, nothin'." Kagome told the older girl as they neared the palace gates. The crowds were atrocious at this time of day, and it was all the two boys could do to help the girls push their way through. Accidentally stepping on one man's foot, Kagome turned to him and said, "Forgive me, sir."

"Ya stupid girl! Watch where you're goin' next time! Ya almost cut me whole damn foot off!" the man yelled to her. Pulling the girl away, Inuyasha muttered, "If it was damned, then she would have done you a service, chopping it off." Thanking the outlaw, Kagome rushed back to where Sango was and continued their rant on the two boys while they approached the gates.

Smiling, Sango dropped back a step and Kagome turned to the two stern looking guards. Waving to them, she said, "Yamaguchi! Kawano! How are you guys? Care to let me through?"

"P-PRINCESS?!" Yamaguchi exclaimed, looking at her carefully. Nodding, Kagome said, "Oh, and let my three friends in also." Stepping back, the two guards let the four travelers through, while the man with the damned foot said to himself and to anyone who would listen, "The princess stepped on my foot...!"

[][][]

As they entered the main hall of the palace, Inuyasha excused himself to go talk to a man in House-colors that Kagome had never seen worn before in her Palace. Maybe he was from Sesshomaru's mansion? Why else would Inuyasha know this man? Raising an eyebrow in silent question, she nodded to the man. Looking from the garrison to the princess, Inuyasha said to her, "He's a friend. Just want to catch up on some things." Nodding to him, Kagome, Sango and Miroku left him with the sentinel to go find the rest of the royal family. Walking into the Grand Hall, their footfalls echoed around the immense room.

"Kagome!" Sota yelled, running up to his big sister and hugging her fiercely. Smiling warmly at him, the princess looked up as her parents entered the room much more regally. Bowing to them, she said, "Mother, Father, these are my three traveling companions that helped on my return." Motioning to each as she introduced them, she said, "This is the Protector, Sango, who gave me shelter when I needed it. This is the Priest, Miroku, who found me along with his comrade Inuyasha, who is not here at the moment."

Shaking her head at her daughter's introduction, the Queen told the princess, "Dear, being away for a week has chipped away at your manners. We will need to refine them before your wedding. Oh, and here's the groom now! Prince Hojo, it is a pleasure to see you after your long travel!" Turning to see her fiancée, Kagome mouthed a _'What?'_ when she came face to face with Inuyasha. Seeing her daughter's confusion, the Queen said, "Kagome, meet Prince Hojo Inuyasha, of the Northern Kingdoms."

()()()

So... How many people did I confuse with that last line? Well, just to tease you, this is the second to last chapter! Yep, only nine chapters in this fic! Short fic, I know, but I want to get back to my real story, 'The Cousin'! For any of you that have read it, I'm working on typing chapter 10 at the moment. For any of you that haven't read it, give it a shot (even though I haven't re-posted it yet...). Not quite so AU as this fic, but it has some funny stuff thrown in there! And as always, there's **FLUFF**!!! _(Well, according to Sarah there is... I don't know, I just think that the stuff's fun to write...)_

Okay. I'll stop my rambling, and get on to the part that you're all waiting for: The **_SHOUTOUTS!!!_** _(These are so much fun!)_

**Alyssa**: Oh my, I can't believe that you actually didn't blink for a whole week! _(gives you eye-drops)_ Man, that had to be painful...

**AngelofLight**: I am offended! I do not write _'EVIL'_ cliffies! Maybe_ 'evil'_, but not _'EVIL'_! _(glares right back at you)_ Grrr..._ (**Muse**: Stop growling or you might scare off another reviewer...) (**Kimiki**: _(stops growling and smiles at you) _Uh, thank you so very much for your review, and I hope that you will be kind enough to give me another wonderful review for this chapter.) (**Muse**_: (gags at all the sugar heaped into that last sentence)_)_

**Shalaren**: Well, yeah, chapter 7 wasn't one of my best, but it had to be there, don't you agree? Anyway, you found out who kidnapped Kagome, but I also threw in a strange, demented, _'What the hell is Kimiki thinking?'_ cliffie at the end of this chapter. Tell me what to think while I barricade my windows and doors against the few _'What the hell are you doing?!'_ reviews that I might get...

**Randomunit02**: Grrr! How am I supposed to give a shoutout to that?! Agg! Uh, _(tries to think of something to say...) (can't think of anything...)_ What do I have to give you to make you give me a somewhat long review? Please tell me! However, please remember that my budget is the $6.95 that I have, so it can't be too expensive... Something from the Dollar Store or Dollar Tree would be best... _(smiles) (**Muse**: Like **Randomunit02** will fall for that bait...) (**Kimiki**: Shh! You never know!) (**Muse**: _(shakes head sadly)_ What a deranged teenager you are...) (**Kimiki**:_ (smiles)_ Hey thanks! _(pauses)_) (**Muse**: ...) (**Kimiki**: That was a compliment, right?) (**Muse**: Only if you want it to be...)_

**beta**: Wow! Almost forgot your shoutout! Anyway, your betas just keep on getting better as the fic progresses! The comments that you make are hilarious, and I can't wait to read chapter 9's beta! _(I only beta it the day or the day before I post it... it's easier that way... and, I'm lazy...) (sighs)_ Yes, I know, sad that there's only one last chapter, but I needed to end this fic... OKAY! Time to go type on 'The Cousin'!!!!


	9. The Final Events

LAST CHAPTER!!! ENJOY!!!

_**Done to Death**_

**Chapter 9: The Final Events**

Blinking, Kagome asked the outlaw, "You're Prince Hojo?" 

Nodding to her, Inuyasha noticed her skeptic look and asked, "What? Is it THAT hard to believe?" Giving one affirmative nod, Kagome turned to Sango and Miroku and asked, "Did you two knew of his heritage?" Nodding to the princess sheepishly, the Protector and priest watched as the girl turned to her parents and said, "I still don't want to get married." Sighing, the King said, "I'm sorry dear, but you can't back out of the engagement." Turning to Inuyasha, he said, "Your Mother and Father are here for the ceremony tomorrow. You may go see them." Bowing, Inuyasha left the dumbfounded Kagome with her parents. After a moment, Sango and Miroku also bowed to the royalty and headed after the _'outlaw'_. Waving goodbye to his sister, Sota ran after his soon-to-be brother-in-law, leaving the girl standing alone with two upset parents. Turning to face the storm that was soon coming head on, Kagome readied herself for the earful that she was going to get for running away with no warning a week ago. 

Several hours later, the princess's ears still rung from her parents angry voices. Sitting on one of the royal garden benches, she looked at the darkening sky and sighed. It had been bad enough being engaged to a man she didn't even know, but to a boy who couldn't stand her? It was going to be one hell of a marriage... 

"Hey." Looking to where the voice had come from, Kagome saw the man who had been racing through her thoughts standing beside her. Cocking her head to one side, she said, "Hey." 

"Mind if I sit here?" he asked, much politer than his usual, gruff self. Figuring that since she was gonna spend the rest of her life with this guy, and that she might as well **TRY** and be civil, Kagome scooted over on the bench, patting the empty space. Plopping down on the bench beside her, Inuyasha said, "Wench?" 

Smiling at him, she replied, "Yeah, Jerk?" 

"Don't run away... again." 

Blinking at him, Kagome asked, "Come again?" 

"Don't run away." Inuyasha repeated, this time looking her in the face, staring into her wide, confused eyes. The setting sun played off his dark hair and gave it burning embers for highlights, something that Kagome had never noticed before. Trying to read the mix of emotions playing across his face, Kagome asked, "What do you mean? I've only run away once..." 

"Yeah, but I mean, don't leave me. Not when I've grown to need your smile, your laugh, basically everything about you." 

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, yet no words came out. Closing it and trying again, she was confused when Inuyasha started chuckling at her. Mumbling a "What?", she crossed her arms and glared at him. Still smiling, Inuyasha said, "Sorry, it's just that you were the one who looked like a fish that time." Smiling along with him, Kagome leaned forward and planted a small, chaste kiss on his cheek. Before she had the chance to pull away from the him, Inuyasha captured her lips with his own in a breathtaking, fireworks-in-the-background kiss. Pulling away from each other, the two blushing teenagers sat there, as the blood-red sun setting over the horizon. 

A few weeks later, the married Inuyasha and Kagome were invited to the holy matrimony between Sango and Miroku. Kagome was given the role of _'Maid of Honor'_, while Inuyasha was made Miroku's best man. While Kagome was helping the bride get ready, she overheard the Protector mumble to herself, "He better keep his hands to himself..." Braiding the older girl's long hair, the princess asked, "What about tonight?" 

Blushing, Sango told her, "Just braid the hair." Laughing to herself, Kagome nodded and wove a dark indigo ribbon into the thick braid. Tying the end, she faced Sango and told her, "Are you **REALLY** ready to be married to the hentai?" Grinning, Sango shrugged and told her, "Well, no backing out now. My hair looks perfect. I can't let all that hard work go down the gutter!" Laughing, the two friends finished preparing and went to the wedding. 

_**(((Epilogue)))**  
_

Ok, you may be wondering what happened to everyone. Well, Inuyasha and Kagome have been _(happily?)_ married for a little over two years now, with two small children, one boy and one girl, with another child headed their way. Sango and Miroku are preparing to celebrate their two year anniversary in a month, and they already have one little girl, who is just under a year old. Inuyasha's bandit camp was recruited by Sesshomaru and are now part of a private defense squad for the Lord. Sango's family are still Protectors, and go to visit their daughter and son-in-law at least twice a year. Sango, however, no longer works as a Protector, as she lives in Inuyasha and Kagome's northern palace, as a permanent guest. 

Got everything so far? Good. 

Inuyasha and Kagome often leave their children with the grandparents and play hooky from their meetings and ceremonial duties in favor of running off and hiding in the woods and visiting neighboring villages in the kingdom. The villages and towns are always prepared for these sudden royal appearances, however, because they are able to hear the nobility's yells of "Bitch!" or "Jerk!" coming from miles away.

**_THE END_**

I... don't... believe it. I finished the fic. Me. Finishing a fic. That has to be an oxymoron. So, how did ya like the story? Hope that it was original, cuz that's what I was going for. And humorous. And all fluff-elicious at the end. That's also what I was going for. Oh, and I apologize for all the fluff that I put into this chapter. Until I reread it, I didn't realize how much I had thrown in there. So, if you don't like fluff, please forgive me. If you do, hope that you enjoyed it! _(Was it just me, or did this chapter seem short. I think that it was short...)_

Okay. I finished this fic, reread it and found that even I came up with some questions about the story line. So, I thought that I'd try and answer the ones that I was able to come up with, so as to clarify what I meant by some of the stuff that is in the fic. Here are the ones that I was able to come up with, followed by my beta's questions. If you should have any different questions, put them in your review, and I'll send you an e-mail with the answer, or the next best thing. After the clarification of stuff, there's, of course, the **_SHOUTOUTS_**.  
  
**INUYASHA'S WHOLE BANDIT IDENTITY THING**: He ran away and became a bandit about two months prior to when the story started up. That's why Kagome never once met him. Don't think that his parents really cared. And, his first name IS Hojo, but he went down in the history books as King Inuyasha. _(And, he and Sesshomaru **ARE** half-brothers, but Sesshomaru just didn't want to be king and left the role to help rule part of his father's western territory. Don't ask me why, because this story focuses on Inuyasha, and not Sesshomaru's thinking process...)  
_  
**NARAKU**: Just the overall bad guy. Yes, he died because of the fall, and No, I will not make any sort of sequel with him coming back.  
  
**WHY ISN'T KIKYO, SHIPPO, KOGA OR KAEDE IN THIS FIC?**: Because I couldn't figure out a way to put them in so that it made sense. I thought of naming the kids of Inuyasha and Kagome either Kikyo, Shippo or Kaede, but decided against it. It would have just been too random. And I couldn't find a good place to make Koga appear, so he's just not in the story all together. _(Though, you could think that the old lady from Chapter Three as Kaede, if you really wanted to...)_  
  
**HOW LONG DOES THIS FIC'S TIMEFRAME LAST?**: The traveling time, about a week. The traveling time with the epilogue: Just over two years. 

**SARAH'S QUESTIONS (WITH MY ANSWERS)**: 

**WHAT IF INUYASHA WAS A GROPER LIKE MIROKU? THEN WHAT WOULD THE Inuyasha SERIES BE LIKE?**: It would be chaotic. Inuyasha and Miroku would be swapping groping secrets, and Kagome and Sango would be running for the high hills. Shippo would be corrupted even more, and the series would just die. That is why Inuyasha is not a groper. You can only have one serious hentai in a series/story, and Miroku is the hentai for the Inuyasha manga/anime.

**WHY?**: Because.

**WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?**: Watch _'Monty Python and the Meaning of Life'_. The answer might be in there somewhere if you look hard enough. if not, 42. _(Brief Disclaimer: I lay no claim to anything **Monty Python**, nor Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)_

**WHY WERE THERE NO SQUIRRELS? OR WERE THERE, AND I JUST FORGOT ABOUT THEM?**: Uh... don't really remember.

Let's get moving on to the **_SHOUTOUTS_**.

Randomunit02: Thank you. I knew that my little muse was insane, but it just wouldn't believe me! _(**Muse**: I am **NOT** insane!) (**Kimiki**: You're right. You're a loony.) (**Muse**: _(pouts)Anyway... thank you also for the longer review! I only saw the _'lol'_ at first, and I was like, **_"What?!"_** then I saw that you had given me a longer review, and I was so happy! _(smiles)_ yeah, and the whole head exploding thing... that would hurt, and I'm allergic to pain, so thank you uber-much for this longer review! _(**Muse**: You do realize that _'uber-much'_ makes no sense whatsoever...) (**Kimiki**: Shh! Maybe they won't notice!)_

**tien yun**: Yeah, I know that a lot of people are probably going **_'WTF?!'_** at me, but... don't blame me! it was all my beta's idea! _(points to said beta)_ Oh, hope that you are now out of your shocked state... that can't be a good state of mind to be in for an extended amount of time...

**Shalaren**: Yay! Thank you for the compliment! How did you like this chapter? _(hint hint) _

**AngeloflLight**: Ah, the great entertainment of making people angry by making cliffys... Hey! I don't have a feddish! Grr! I resemble that remark! _(**Muse**: ...Yes, yes she is blonde, whatever made you ask?) (**Kimiki**: Is that sarcasm that I detect?) (**Muse**: Me? being sarcastic? You must be crazy...) (**Kimiki**: _(grins evilly)_ But not as much as you...) (**Muse**: I am not a loony!)_

**Alyssa**: Ack! If you twiddled your thumbs for a whole week, then you're gonna need a cast! And if you need a cast, you'll need a sharpie! And if you have a sharpie, then you'll need people to write on your cast. And if you have people to write on your cast, you'll probably hurt your arm even more by always holding it out so people can sign it. And if you hurt your arm even more, you're gonna need a cast... _(Kudo's to anyone who knows what I was just babbling about! Love those books!)_

Oh My Blush: Your three reviews all together made me fall to the ground in laughter, rolling around and around, which wasn't very smart on my part, since I was listening to my portable CD player at the time... _(hehe?)_ Okay, I cannot think of anything other than to grab little blirps from the three reviews and place them here. these are the ones that made my sides hurt uber-much! _(**Muse**: Not a word I tell you! not a word!) (**Kimiki**: Shut up you!) (**ps**: I have no idea who my muse for anime is... just some random muse...) (**Muse**: I am not random!)_

_(JUST SAY NO TO THE DOUBLE PREPS!)_

_(to hetai kingdom come and back again... love that... we can talk as we walk! go inu! you're a poet and you probably don't ever want to be!)_

_(you know, it would have been a lot more interesting if she had run away and then later found by inuyasha, and then you could have put in a lemon! and you would have made me a lot happier beta!! you realize this, right? i'm so hopeless...)_

_(would you like to buy a duck? a duck? a what? a duck... how much? five dollars...)_

_(him asking for a brain... if i only had a brain... like the wizard of oz... oz... he he he... pun sorta intended, if you like...)_

_(since when does inuyasha have lightening-fast speed? he's a human thingy... and, why should inuyasha need to know how to fight, other than like... fencing... since yeah... well, i mean... sure... that'd give it away... oh well... not gonna do it...)_

_(not gonna do it...)_

_(you realize this is taking all of my willpower, right?!?!?!?!?)_

_(okay, i just started freaking out. i just realized that this chapter is the one where we tell all. and it pisses me off that i forgot that it was in the chapter ... since i the beta and everything... and yeah... i just ranted to steph about this, and she just kinda yeah... rolled her eyes and laughed... so yeah... pity pat from her. so now i'm really peeved...)_

_(ALL THAT WILL POWER! FOR NOTHING!)_

_(i quit.)_

_(sarah _

_thing _

_pillage a village_

_us_

_the beta who quit.)_

_(i'm just kidding, alright?)_

**beta**: Irony? That would have been an interesting name... Glad that you liked the fic, seeing as how you're my beta... would have sucked if you hated it... and, yes, it is nice and short, just the way that some should be. Don't really think that I could have made this into a twenty chapter long story, without fleshing out every single sentence in the fic. And, knowing me, that would have meant that I would have never finished this story! So, it's a good thing that I made it nine chapters, cuz this way, I already have it done, typed, betaed and _(now)_ posted! I'm happy with the Sango and Miroku interaction, seeing as how I mostly focused on Kagome and Inuyasha. Didn't know if I did it all that well, but you liked it, so I guess that it was okay...


End file.
